


The greatest gift...

by mxPerditus



Category: Alice In Wonderland - Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland (Movies - Burton)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, First Meetings, Friendship, Gender-neutral Reader, I'm bad at writing slow burn fics but I'll give it a try lol, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Other, Tea Parties, World Exploration, World Travel, senseless filler stuffed between plot, slow burn kinda, tags and ratings will change in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-01-07 18:53:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12238689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxPerditus/pseuds/mxPerditus
Summary: After a hard day that leaves you struggling with anxiety, you dive into your favorite book and find you’re not in the place you once were...I should mention, this story is kind of an indulgent thing I wrote. It's a bit wordsy and introspective but I like how it turned out. I hope you'll like it too.





	1. Chapter 1

You crumple onto your bed, still in your clothes from the day.

It's stifling trying to breathe with your face pressed into the mattress but you don't want to move. ‘Who needs to breathe?’ you think, but you roll onto your back anyway.

The soft light of your room eases some of your tension but you still feel awful.

Today was terribly stressful; you've held it together for longer than you thought you could but now that you're home, you can feel yourself coming apart at the seams.

You swallow the lump growing in your throat, holding off the creeping anxiety and the worries clawing at the corners of your mind. 'Maybe reading will help,' you think, 'or sleeping.' At least it’ll put it off for awhile.

You reach for a book and open to the beginning, where a bookmark is placed, and you realize you instinctively picked one of your favorites. It’s a short book with not that many pictures but it’s an endearing read, and a reminder of the better parts of your childhood. You trace your fingers over the black lettering, skimming over the preface to the first chapter.

Your mind is partly occupied on the book in front of you as anxiety crawls into your thoughts. You try to focus on the book but your mind is scattered now, residual stress washing over you, and tears start to fall from your face. You wipe your eyes, swallowing a sob and you continue reading.

By the time your tears stop, it’s late into the evening.

Your eyes begin to slow their descent on the page and you pause, marking the page and letting your head rest on your pillow. Your eyes begin to close, tiredness pulling you into a soft warm slumber.

 

\- -

 

You open your eyes to a mottled field of colors. You wonder where you are for a second, sitting up even though the ground here is soft and welcoming and you kind of want to just curl up and go back to sleep. You look around at the field of grass and flowers you seem to be in as a few bees lazily pass by you.

It gives you a warm feeling in your chest and now that you think about it, this place is kind of familiar.

There’s a thought at the back of your mind that you can’t quite hear so you let it slip away from you, keeping your thoughts to the present to figure out where you are.

You get up slowly, unsure if your legs can carry you after such a long time sleeping but you have no trouble standing. There’s a path among the grass that turns into a winding path so you walk along, watching the moving scenery of large, shady trees and vibrant greens and wildflowers. There are colorful insects and large unfamiliar birds around you and you’re not quite sure if you’re awake anymore.

You reach a yard with clusters of pink petaled trees and there’s a castle that looks ancient with moss growing on its structure. As you walk closer to it, a shiver of something passes over you and you get the impression that this was once a regal castle.

You make your way to the archway, careful not to let your clothes catch on the cracks of its foundation as you follow the path.

The sun filters through the trees and through the partly open walls of the castle, creating a breathtaking display around you and you continue forward in awe, moving that much closer to the instinctive pull. It isn’t long before you reach the source of your curiosity, which turns out to be a large white room, glittering with spiderwebs.

Something magical tugs at you and you hesitantly step inside. The room is empty but in the center is a grandfather clock. It easily towers over you but it isn’t at all frightening.

You’re not sure why but you suddenly reach for the glass and the pendulum's case opens like a door, and you step inside.

 

You blink a few times and you are standing in a different place; a complex garden surrounded by dew dappled flowers and vine covered trellises. The sky is a deep shade of blue and the stars high above you remind you of projections in a planetarium. This looks like a different sky than the one back home.

You step carefully, trying your best to not crush any plants as you leave the garden. You come to a peculiarly short white fence.

"Whose garden is this, I wonder?"

You push the little door open easily, taking care in closing it before continuing. The pebbled path you’re on leads to the side of a large, dark castle. It would look threatening, you think, if it weren’t for the soft lighting and backdrop of stars. It should have been a stark contrast but it just looked all the more intriguing.

You take one last look at the garden behind you before stepping into the castle.

 

You blink. You’re standing in a dark castle. Besides the constant purr of machinery, it’s mostly quiet. It feels as if there’s a heartbeat through the foundation of the castle and it's surprisingly comforting. You’re lost in your thoughts when a little mechanical fellow appears from around a corner, a trail of smaller creatures following behind the first. Then he sees you and you both freeze, the little creature squawking in surprise.

"Hi- hello!" You smile. "Do you know where I am? I think I’m... a bit turned around."

Well it wasn’t completely untrue.

Some of the little machines squeak and bounce around, and the first one pipes up in a comical Germanic accent.

"Ah," he looks around almost frantically, "how did you get in here? Never mind, there’s no time! You must hide!"

"Wha? Wait!"

All the little creatures run toward you, bumping into one another to crowd you against the nearest wall.

"What’s going on?" you whisper frantically and the first creature, the tallest one, shushes you. "He’ll hear you!" "Who will h-"

"WIIILKAAANS!"

You all jump and squish further into the already small space. You’re suddenly aware of the ridiculous amount of hallways in this castle. This person could come from anywhere! You look down with wide eyes. "What if they catch us?" you ask but there is no answer because someone suddenly walks into view.

"Ah, there you are!" The person announces and then they pause, tilting their head at you. The person looks down at all of the shaking creatures around your legs and then the tallest one.

"Wilkins, what are you doing?"

The creatures loosen around your legs. "We were just, um..." The first creature begins, but he’s cut off before he can finish.

"And who is this?"

You swallow, smiling nervously. "Hi, um, I’m lost..."

"You’re lost? How did you...?" He rubs his forehead. "Ugh, never mind, just come with me." He gestures for you to follow. "And Wilkins, you’re needed in the Clock room."

"Yes, sir."

You watch the little creatures file away down one of the adjacent halls as you follow the mysterious person.

He’s a couple feet ahead of you, and it’s a good thing too because his shoulder pads could probably take off your head. You realize just how dauntingly tall he is right then and you swallow, looking away when your face feels hot.

"You look like you’re not from here," he says and you’re not sure if he’s talking to himself so you stay quiet. He glances back at you a moment later.

"Oh, ah," you fumble to gather your words, "I’m not. At least I don’t think."

He nods. "Do you know where you are?"

"Not really," you admit, "although it does seem a bit familiar. There was a pull of magic of some sort, then I ended up here."

He hums in thought, turning a corner suddenly and you struggle to keep up to his pace.

You end up in a ginormous clockwork room and you stifle a loud gasp. A huge clock a story or two high takes up a portion of the room and it glows with sparks of blues and yellows. It’s very majestic You realize you must look silly so you compose yourself again, embarrassment tingeing your cheeks.

"Wilkins, how is the Clock?"

You see the familiar mechanical creature near the clock with a little clipboard. Aww. "Everything is as it should be, master."

"Good," he replies.

The other mechanical creatures are bustling around the clock and you see one oiling some of the gears.

He looks to you, gesturing with a hand. "Come follow me."

 

You should have known how big of a castle it was judging from its exterior but it didn’t sink in until you realized you’ve been walking for a solid amount of time.

"Forgive me for not asking before, but what is your name, little one?"

 

Your cheeks get a little red after a moment of thought. Little one? Was that an insult or... something else? "Um, it’s..." You hesitate to answer so he leans in, brow raising.

"Yes?"

You say your name and he smiles kindly. "It is nice to meet you." Something about that makes you warm inside and you can’t help but smile.

"So, how did you manage to come here? It isn't exactly easy to enter my castle."

"Well, there was an abandoned castle and it had a grandfather clock inside one of the rooms. It drew me in... I think that's how I got here. It just _opened._ "

"I need to talk to Mirana about that," he says, sighing. "Do you remember anything else before this?"

"No."

"I see. Ah!"

Ahead of you, you see a doorway. It has a wide door with hinges on both sides. He pulls on the handles and it opens - they were double doors, you realize - and your view overlook a beautiful landscape: a garden of roses and flowers with a short white picket fence. You smile to yourself.

He turns to you and holds out a hand.

You take his hand and he leads you down the steps, letting go once you’re on the pebbled path.

He bends over to push the little fence door open and the image strikes you as comical. You expected him to just step over the fence what with his large outfit and towering figure.

 

The garden is huge, just as all things in the castle are. There must be dozens, if not hundreds of variations of flowers here, all having their own intersecting walls or trellises dedicated to displaying their beauty. You make your way over to where he is, caught up admiring the walls of roses and vines on the backdrop of kaleidoscopic night sky.

Your eyes eventually lead to a hanging garden swing in a section with white roses, where he’s already waiting for you.

You both sit. The swing doesn’t leave much room, his knee almost touching yours.

 

"You say you don't remember anything before coming here. Do you have an idea of  _why_ you might have come?"

Your brow furrows. "I don't know." You look up and he watches you intently. "I can't recall where I was before this, but I think I was... crying..."

"Maybe you didn’t come here on accident," he says.

You glance up.

"Most things happen for a reason, so maybe...” His face becomes solemn. Suddenly he stands up. “This swing is ridiculous, it’s so small!”

You stand up too, trying not to laugh as you follow behind his brisk walk.

"We can talk as we walk," he says. He gestures for you to join his side and you do, with some difficulty (those shoulder pads are gonna kill someone someday).

"I believe you were distressed before you arrived," he begins. "Is it possible you came here as a subconscious call for help?"

"Maybe. But why here?"

Part of you wonders if you’re dreaming but this is all so real. It couldn’t be a dream, could it?

It would be one of the most peaceful dreams you had in such an unfamiliar place. It’s soothing and almost familiar in a distant, dreamy kind of way. Almost like you’ve read it in a book somewhere.

He glances at you then and you see his eyes are calm and so very blue.

"We will find out where you’re from. Relax for now. I can tell you’re stressed." He says and it surprises you. You smile politely and nod, wringing your hands together.

Something is still missing.

"Oh, I don’t know your name," you say suddenly. He looks at you pointedly.

"You haven’t guessed it yet? What with the big clock and everything? The gears?" He gestures to his head and you notice his tall regal hat is gone, exposing machinery hidden just behind his ears. He turns his head so you can see it better and you’re surprised you didn’t notice sooner.

"Oh," you say. "I don't know. Uh... Are you the Sandman?" He rolls his eyes. "Chronos? Big Ben? Father Time?" He raises a brow and smiles slowly at the last one.

 _Oh._  "You’re Father Time, aren’t you?"

"That is one of my many names," he says, his smile proud. Your breath stops in your throat.

"Wait, you’re _the_ time? Like _all of space and time_ time?"

"Yes, I am," he says, glowing with confidence.

You look down, covering your mouth. "Oh my gosh..." You steady your hand on one of the walls, trying not to hyperventilate. How is this possible?

Didn’t Lewis Carroll mention Time in one of his books? As if Time was a person?

You blink, your vision starting to go fuzzy as if light is shining through your eyelids. A hand steadies you around your back and you look up at him.

"Are you okay?" he asks and you nod, swallowing.

"I think I’m..."

 

You open your eyes to sunlight spilling through the curtains. You lie awake, staring at the ceiling until your alarm clock goes off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm getting back into writing again! yaay!
> 
> ( I haven't seen the movie in awhile so I may have gotten some things wrong but I'll correct it when I can. I also took some artistic liberties when writing the scenery and locations in Wonderland. )
> 
> let me know if you like this fic by leaving a kudos! and comments are always welcome <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New faces and new adventures await you in your second visit to Wonderland.

The week had gone by with painful tedium. Granted, today wasn’t as bad as the day before but you were looking forward to the weekend, when you could finally get a restful night of sleep.

The previous weekend you’d dreamed of Wonderland and oh, was it full of wonder. Giant clockwork castles and breathtaking scenery and _magic_. You hoped you could see it again.

You had thought about it most of that week, moving through the days with absent efficiency. You wished you could see it once more, wondering what the rest of Lewis Carroll’s world must look like.

Were all of the characters he mentioned actual people?

And Time. Was he the same person Lewis Carroll mentioned in one of his books? You had come to that conclusion right before you were pulled out of the dream and it left you with a strange feeling.

 

When you get home, you let yourself unwind with a few chapters of ‘Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.’ It doesn’t occur to you until you’re tucked into bed that you will probably never see Wonderland again.

The sudden loss of never talking with Time again, never seeing the wondrous world again hits you and you swallow back the feeling in your throat. It’s difficult to have a dream in the same setting more than once within a month, or even the same year.

Why does it hurt so much?

You read until you fall asleep, your heart heavy and eyes sore.

 

\-  -

 

You blink at the obnoxious light boring through your eyelids. You block the sun with your arm and sit up, confused. The air is crisp and fragrant with the scent of spring.

‘Am I outside?’

You look around, your memory coming back to you.

"I’m in Wonderland again!" You say breathlessly. You stand up and start down the path, no particular destination in mind. It must be early morning seeing as the sun is still low in the sky.

"I always wanted to explore Wonderland. It’s not like I’m doing anything."

You come across a mouse who is running by. "‘Scuse me, I’m late!" they say, scurrying past your feet. "Oh my," you say with a chuckle. You keep walking and you come across a large village. There are street vendors along the block who are selling items and food.

The sight of fresh food makes your stomach pang.

You approach one of the vendors. "Excuse me, how much are these?"

"Four pence," the vendor says with a smile.

"Okay. Thank you," you reply. You walk to an unoccupied area, checking your pockets for your wallet but the only thing you have is your phone. "Well, looks like I can’t buy anything."

 

You continue your journey through the market, gravitating toward the less crowded booths. You look at the handmade trinkets and intricate clothing for sale, making polite conversation with the shopkeepers. A few hatters are selling their wares as well; you wonder if the Mad Hatter is among them.

‘He must have the best hats out of all of them,’ you think with a little laugh.

You pass a booth that catches your eye and you stop to look over the beautiful metalwork on display. There are dozens of stopwatches and clocks of all sorts. Part of you wants to buy one but, oh right, no wallet.

A customer steps in beside you, talking with the shopkeeper. "How much are these?" You hear the customer say and your heart leaps into your throat when you _recognize that voice_.

‘Crap. Keep your cool,’ you tell yourself as you nonchalantly slip away to the next booth. ‘I should’ve known Time would be looking at the clocks, of all things.’

Not quite ready for confrontation yet, you meander a safe distance away.

A customer from a booth nearby notices your hesitation, pausing in her shopping at the same moment you look over, meeting eyes unexpectedly. "Oh, hello," she says. Her voice is as kind as her soft features and a trickle of a blush enters your cheeks. "I haven’t seen you here before." She looks at a tea set that must be scaled for a mouse and buys it from the shopkeeper.

You realize you haven’t replied yet, so you stumble out a greeting and a poorly crafted response. "H- hi. I’m new here, I - uh, I’m visiting from somewhere."

She looks you over, a smile crossing her features. "Ah. You do look like you’re from somewhere else. Overland, I suppose?"

You shrug. ‘Overland?’

"I see." Her light blonde hair flows past you as she brushes shoulders. "Would you care to walk with me?"

"Sure."

You both pass the food vendors from earlier and she stops, buying a few items for the both of you. You sit in the courtyard near a fountain.

"What is your name?" she asks you. You answer and she smiles. "It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mirana." She pauses. "You remind me of someone I met before."

"I do?" you ask.

Mirana nods, eating a bit of her pastry delicately. She has an air of poise that makes you wonder if she’s royalty.

"A girl once came here. She was as tall as a three-story house when we first met!" She giggles, shaking her head at the thought. She looks at you again, tilting her head. "So how are you liking it here?"

"It’s amazing," you reply. "It’s different than what I’m used to. Everything is so colorful and surreal here, it reminds me of a book I’ve been reading."

"What book is that?"

You pause. Do you tell her?

"It’s a book by Lewis Carroll, ‘Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland.’" Mirana looks surprised.

"Ah. So she made it back safely," Mirana says more to herself than anyone, and it gives you pause.

"There’s a second book too," you say, which catches her attention. You struggle to remember the title now, even though it’s so familiar to you; you thought you knew it like the back of your hand. You fumble with your words, looking about when you notice there’s a bag on your shoulder that wasn’t there before.

You reach your hand inside and pull out the exact book you were talking about. "Oh!"

Mirana’s eyes widen. "How curious."

You hand her the book and she examines it, running her hands over the drawing of Alice on the front cover. "It looks just like her," she says fondly.

She flips through to the back of the book, then hands it back to you. "They’ve forgotten quite a lot of details," she says with a mischievous smile. "Oh, right! I almost forgot, we must be on our way!" Before you know what’s happening, she takes your hand and pulls you along with her.

"Where are we going?" you ask.

She doesn’t slow or turn around. "We need to buy things for the tea party!"

"Tea party?"

"Of course!" She spins around. "We have tea parties nearly every week and there’s one this-... oh dear, I forgot to invite some of the guests." She looks at you, eyes bright. "Could you help me with the invitations?"

"Sure," you say quickly.

"Thank you so much, dear. Now go find the Hatter and tell him to let Tweedledee and Tweedledum know. The tea party is tomorrow! Oh, and don’t forget Time!"

"Wait, wait! How do I find them? I don't know who they are," you call but she’s too far away to hear you.

 

You find the Mad Hatter in a stroke of luck as he’s leaving the Dormouse’s house.

"Oh, hello!" he says, eyes wide. They’re actually very wide, you notice.

"Hi! Um, are you the Mad Hatter?"

He raises a finger, pausing, then he nods. "Yes, I think so."

"Mirana sent me to tell you there’ll be a tea party tomor-" "Ooh, tea party!" The Hatter interrupts. You bite the inside of your lip to keep from cracking a smile.

"It's tomorrow. Could you let Tweedledee and Tweedledum know?"

"Of course," he says. He gives you a bow and so you bow back, which makes him giggle.

You come across the crumbling castle next. "I kind of wish there was a front door," you say to yourself, walking up the staircase.

 

You open your eyes and this time, you’re right inside of Time’s castle. "That was quick," you say. "Hello? Is anyone-"

"Oh my!" Wilkins squawks and you both jump at seeing each other. "Hello again," he says, a bit wary of you.

"Hi, um, do you know where Time is?"

"He’s in his workshop. I can call him if you want."

"I don’t want to be any trouble," you say quickly. "Mirana told me to tell him about a tea party tomorrow..?"

"Ah," he says, then he scuttles away. You stand awkwardly, rubbing your arms and wondering if you should follow. After a moment of silence, Wilkins appears again. "Come with me, I’ll take you to him."

"Oh! Okay."

You wonder if he knows where he’s going as you follow Wilkins. All of the hallways look the same to you, but you come upon a door in almost no time.

Wilkins knocks on the door before entering. "Master," Wilkins calls and you hear a tired grunt nearby.

"What is it, Wilkins?"

Then you see him. He looks awful. His eyes are lined with dark circles that contrast to his pale complexion. You don’t think Time looked that pale before.

He perks when he sees you and you’re not sure if it’s out of joy or anger.

"They have a message for you," Wilkins says, bowing before leaving the room.

Time eyes you.

"Mirana said there’s a tea party tomorrow, I believe she wanted me to invite you." You look up, stomach uneasy but Time doesn’t seem as intense as before.

He scrubs a hand over his face. "Ah, okay."

You hesitate before asking, "Are you alright? You seem a little.. pale."

He nods, waving a hand at you. "Yes, I am, thank you. You may go."

 

The way back to town is a slow one so you take the quiet moments to enjoy yourself. And also gripe about Time in your head.

"‘You may go’? Who talks to people like that?" you grumble. You kick a pebble out of your path, replaying the scene in your head. ‘See if I ever invite you to anything again,’ you think halfheartedly.

You don’t find Mirana anywhere in town, so you sit at the fountain again, distracting yourself on your phone and squashing the feeling in your chest. You’re still grumbling to yourself when a shadow steps beside you.

You recognize the elegant white dress as belonging to Mirana and you lift your head. "Hey."

"I was hoping I’d find you here," she says, smiling. "I believe I forgot to ask before, would you like to come to the tea party tomorrow?"

"Yes," you say, smiling. "But I’m not sure if I can." How do you explain it? The date was so soon already... What if you don’t go to sleep early enough? What if you don’t dream of Wonderland soon enough (if at all)?

Mirana can see your distress because she offers a reassuring smile. "It’s alright if you can’t make it, dear."

"I’m sorry, I just don’t have the whole time - er, sleep schedule thing down yet. I’ll see if I can."

Mirana nods. "I hope you can. I do look forward to seeing you there." She stands, offering a hand to you. "Do you want to help with the shopping?"

"Sure," you say, because anything is better than being left alone with your thoughts.

 

You sigh. The more you think about it, the more reluctant you are about going. Not only will it be a social event but _he_  will be there. Not only was that last time awkward but it left you feeling kind of hurt.

Mirana notices you’ve been quiet for too long and she touches your arm. "Is something the matter?"

"Not really," you say. You don’t even convince yourself.

Mirana looks thoughtful. "Is it about Tarrant? Did he say something to you?"

"No," you say. "It’s not important."

"Is it Time?"

"No. I mean, maybe... no..."

You walk past a tent with lots of bouquets and flower pots. Mirana pauses, picking up a few bouquets. "Time is an ancient being. He is very aware of the passage of himself, as you must know. He has many responsibilities to keep the world moving forward so it may go without saying his social skills are a bit lacking."

She pays the shopkeeper, tucking the flowers into her basket. "He may be callous and a bit arrogant at times, but he cares more than you might think."

You sigh, heart still twisting tightly in your chest. "I suppose."

Mirana gives you a soft look. "I can assure you everything will be alright. As for now... would you like a pastry or two?"

By the time it’s evening (and you’ve decided you must get back to the waking world) you feel a lot better.

Mirana hugs you goodbye. "I would love to see you again," she says when you both separate. Her smile fills you with a warm comfort you’ve seldom felt before.

"I would love to as well. Er, see you, that is." You look down and she chuckles.

"Take care," she says with a flutter of her hand. "I bid you safe traveling." You wave, thanking her once more for her kindness.

You can already feel sunshine on your skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not sure where this story is gonna go but I suppose that’s an adventure itself ୧(๑•̀⌄•́๑)૭✧ haha
> 
> thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tea is best served with awful puns.

It’s early morning when you look at the clock. You stretch and haul yourself out of bed, trying to ignore the tickle of excitement in your bones. After all, you weren’t sure if you’d be able to go to Mirana’s tea party but the thought gives you a spring in your step for the rest of the day.

Responsibilities completed, groceries bought, pets taken care of, dinner prepared, and finally - _finally_ \- sleep.

You fall into bed, sighing with relief. You can still smell roses from the hug the night before...

 

\-  -

 

You hear someone calling your name and you roll over, covering your face with an arm. Finally it occurs to you where are and you sit up suddenly. Of course!

Tidbits of sleepiness still cling to you like a kitten on your chest. "Hello?" you call, rubbing your eyes.

Mirana is standing on a path not too far away from you. She waves, smiling.

"You came," she says to you, "And in such a fashion you nearly gave me a fright!"

"Oh my, I’m sorry," you say. You struggle to stand and she helps with a steady arm around you. She has intrigue written over her features.

"I was walking toward this flower bed when I blinked and-" she makes a whoosh sound with a flair of her fingers "-you had appeared right before me."

You blink. "That is kinda scary."

"Indeed. Oh my, it’s almost time, we must hurry. We wouldn’t want to be late!"

 

You arrive just as the other guests are.

Mirana tames her windblown hair, fixing her dress with a smile. "You may sit anywhere you like," she whispers to you, floating by you on her way to greet the guests. You smile to some as they pass you.

"Hello," says a mouse, holding a little hand out for you to shake. "I’m Mallymkun." It looks like the mouse who ran by you just the other day. You smile, taking her hand with your finger.

"Nice to meet you, Mallymkun. I’m ___."

 

Everybody chooses a seat, some people already wrapped up in conversation as tea is poured and baked goods are shared. You take a few cookies and sit quietly, hoping nobody tries to talk with you (you’re not exactly an extrovert).

"Oh, she’s here," you hear Mirana say as she stands to greet another guest. You think to yourself they’d make a pretty sight together. Once they’re seated, Mirana introduces you both. "This is ___, our newest guest," she says to the other members before motioning to the woman, "And this is Alice. You might’ve heard of her."

The Alice from the story books? She looks a lot older than you thought she’d be.

Alice must see your amazement from the way she chuckles, holding out a hand. "It’s a pleasure to meet you," she says, to which you return the greeting. "This is quite nice," you hear her say to Mirana as the two continue their conversation quietly.

You look back to the other occupants at the table. So far there is a bloodhound, the Mad Hatter, Mallymkun, who you assume are the Tweedle twins, a hare in a waistcoat, Mirana, Alice, and one empty seats.

Time isn’t anywhere to be seen. You’re a bit disappointed, even though part of you is still reluctant to interact with him. You ignore the conflict in your head, munching on another cookie.

"Do you like it?" Someone says to your right and you turn to see the Mad Hatter.

"Like what?" You look down at your half eaten cookie. "Oh! I do, thank you."

He nods, smiling giddily. "I made them myself. It was my mum’s recipe before, well..." He doesn’t finish his statement, instead picking up his teacup. "My name is Tarrant Hightopp. What is your name?"

You pick up your tea cup too, saying your name. Tarrant bumps your teacup with his, smiling toothily. "It is very nice to meet you."

"Likewise."

Mallymkun tugs your sleeve. "You’re an Overlandian, right?" she says.

"I guess so."

"What’s it like up there?" "Ooh, yes, tell us," Tarrant chimes in.

"Well..." you begin, "it’s a lot less vibrant, and I suppose a lot less magical. There are a lot of automobiles and tall buildings, and everybody has one of these." You pull your phone out, turning on the screen, which makes some of the guests go ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’.

You finish your cup of tea and the March Hare across the table gestures with the tea pot. "More tea?"

"Yes, please." You try to sip your tea too soon and you nearly jump out of your seat. "Ah!!"

"Be careful, it’s hot," Mallymkun says.

"Give it some Time," the hare adds, chuckling at his own joke.

You glance to the empty seat at the table again and Mallymkun and Tarrant exchange a look.

"Is Time ever late?" you ask out of curiosity.

"I’m not sure. It’s hard keeping track of him," Tarrant says, giggling.

"Well, it’s about Time you did," Mallymkun replies, and the March Hare starts to laugh. Before long, you find yourself laughing along, adding jokes of your own.

Time appears a few minutes into the party and the four of you go quiet. You lean over, whispering conspiratorially, "It’s the man of the hour. I guess it was only a matter of Time."

You bite your lip to stop from smirking when Time looks in your direction.

"Ha ha ha. That is very clever and _completely_ original."

Time passes by, taking the empty seat at the table.

You take a sip of your tea just as one of them leans over to whisper another joke, causing you to spurt it out of your nose, which makes them explode into laughter. The mortification of the moment is short-lived however when the March Hare does it too, then Tarrant, and Mallymkun with a squeak. Alice watches you all, amused and smiling like she’s trying not to laugh.

Time coughs on his tea and you briefly wonder if he’s laughing too.

 

Before you know it, it’s late afternoon and the party is coming to a close. Mirana says personal goodbyes to the guests as they trail away, each with a wrapped gift box of treats from the party.

Alice joins Tarrant’s side with the March Hare and Mallymkun the dormouse and the bloodhound (whose name, you learned, is Bayard).

"Well, I guess the time has finally come," Tarrant says. He purses his lips to keep his composure.

"It was wonderful meeting you all," you say to them. "I wish I could spend more time with you guys."

"You know what they say..." the March Hare starts but he’s interrupted by a groan from nearby. _"Will you please stop with the time puns?"_

 

The joking air gives way to the calm of the evening. You say your farewells, exchanging briefly with each person before parting ways.

Mirana approaches you, smiling when she sees your teary-eyed expression.

"I trust you enjoyed the tea party?"

"Yes, I did," you say. "Thank you for inviting me."

She bows her head. "Thank you for joining us. Ah yes, before I forget, would you give these to Time for me?"

Mirana places a box in your hands that vaguely smells of sweets. "Those are his favorite," she whispers.

"But why should _I_ give it to him?" you say quietly, "I mean, he can’t stand me-"

Mirana turns around from clearing the table, nodding to him. "He’ll like it. Go on," she says gently.

You linger for a minute before stepping over to where Time is speaking with another guest. You swallow your nerves, waiting for a lull in their conversation before tapping his arm.

He looks down at you, brows raised.

"Um, here, uh..." You say, handing him the box. He looks inside and his features soften.

"Thank you," he says. He’s almost smiling at you and his eyes are _so very blue_ that it makes you feel a little weak. You say a quiet ‘you’re welcome’ and walk away as collected as you can.

"I did it," you squeak and Mirana giggles. She takes your hands in hers, smiling proudly. "You did wonderful. Thank you for your help today."

"It was no trouble at all." You pause, looking away for a moment. "I hope I can come back. It’s all so complicated, I wish I could explain better but..."

Mirana nods. "I see. If you do come back, know that you are always welcome in my kingdom."

The meaning sinks in and you gasp, covering your face. "Wait, are you...? You’re the queen of Wonderland?"

"I am. I’m Mirana of Marmoreal. Some may know me as the White Queen." She bows her head, so you bow your head in return.

"Also it’s ‘Underland,’ my dear," Mirana says with a chuckle.

"Oh. Okay..." Your face turns red but she shakes her head, smiling nonetheless. You wave goodbye as your consciousness begins to fade. "See you soon," you say.

You hope you do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you’re wondering what pun the Reader laughs at: “Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a cold rainy night and you're tired and lonely.

You next see Underland a couple weeks after the tea party. You’re anxious and tired from work and more than a little depressed, drifting off after a hot shower. You were hoping to get an uneventful night of rest. You show up, more or less, in the same condition you fell asleep.

You groan and blink the sleep from your eyes. You would be upset about this except the sky looks so beautiful and the morning is young and you figure you can spare some time to look around. (After all, it isn’t every day you get to see Underland.)

You start down the path going the opposite way of the town market, admiring the landscape as it passes. It’s a lot less bright than what you’re used to in Marmoreal; the land here seems bleak, almost haunted.

The path brings you to a deserted kingdom. The streets are bare and the air is stale. You walk through the abandoned streets and you eventually come upon a grand entryway to a castle made of red and white stone. To the side, there’s a tall hedge that separates you from a large garden with (from what you can see) red roses and large trellises.

It’s all very beautiful but chilling. Why is it abandoned? Is this the Red Queen’s castle?

The air smells foul and you swallow back the push of nausea. Not daring to go any farther, you turn back.

 

Resting under the safety of the familiar tree again, you stretch your legs out. "Where should I go next?"

You are curious if anyone is busy today, so you make your way to Marmoreal, hoping to find someone to talk to.

You manage to meet Tarrant Hightopp, who is very caught up in making hats for customers. "I’ll be with you in a moment," he says, not sparing a glance at you.

But a moment turns into several long moments, which turn to an hour and you find you can’t wait any longer, so you wave goodbye and tell him you’ll be back when the shop is less busy. He nods, relieved.

Then you come across Mirana’s castle which is as hectic as a beehive. Your ‘hello’ to her majesty and her royal guest Alice goes unheard so you decide it’s best to not bother.

And when you run into Mallymkun the dormouse and the March Hare, they’re busy as well (something to do with Bayard and his wife needing sitters for his pups).

So you find you’re the only one in your company. You wander into the town square and sit by the fountain, alone.

"This isn’t so bad," you say to no one in particular, since no one happened to be around. You pick at your fingernails, feeling the telltale prick of pain in your eyes and lump in your throat. "It’s okay, it’s alright," you say but it stings to hear it from your own voice.

The sun had been hiding behind the clouds for most of the day and you finally feel the sprinkle of rain hitting you, so you tuck your face into your arms and let the rain fall.

 

The sky’s light has long since faded into evening. It’s still trickling when you lift your head, wiping the residual tears from your eyes.

"...?"

You freeze to the sound of your name. "Hey," you say. Time is standing close by and there’s concern written over his stern features.

"Why are you..."

He doesn’t finish, brows creasing when he looks you over. You realize he’s been holding an umbrella over you to block the drizzle of rain. ‘A little too late,’ you think bitterly.

"I’m fine," you say, casual. You look around to the empty streets and it makes your throat close up. "I’m just enjoying the rain."

Time sighs and falls silent. You can guess what he’s thinking; he’s probably calculating if he should console you or continue on his way. The third option is completely unexpected.

When he holds out a gloved hand to you, you look at him, confused.

"Come on. Come with me."

"No, it’s alri-" you start but a sneeze tears out of you as if on cue.

He rolls his eyes. "You’re going to get sick. Come on."

You don’t protest this time.

 

The castle is warmer and much drier than outside. He leads you to a room deep in the castle that turns out to be the largest bathroom you’ve ever seen.

Time heads over to the bathtub - which looks like a jacuzzi with how large and intricate it is - and he turns on the water. Steam billows out over the sides and you nearly melt at the sight.

He gestures to the front of the room where a basket is set. "Leave your wet clothes in the basket. They’ll be taken care of for you. There are towels and bathrobes if you need them," he points to a closet, "and there’s soap and toiletries there as well. Wilkins will bring you a change of clothes."

You nod, getting out a ‘thank you’ before he leaves.

You peel your wet clothes off and drop them into the basket near the door before approaching the tub. You sink into the hot water, sighing when you’re seated up to your neck in hot water.

 

When you’ve finished, you let the tub drain and get a towel from the closet, changing into the spare set of clothes once you've dried off. There’s a knock at the door. It’s Time, just like clockwork.

He takes you to another room, where there’s a fireplace and comfy looking chairs. It must be a study. Time’s, no doubt. It has bookshelves lined with more books than you can count. You look about the room as Time babbles on. "I’ll have one of the guest rooms prepared for you. You can come with me or if you prefer, you can wait here." He adds when he notices your hesitation, "It’s much warmer here."

"Is it alright if I wait here?"

"Of course. If you need anything, you can just-" You make a sound of mild distress when he turns to leave and he freezes. "Yes?"

"Can I read one of your books?"

He smiles. "Certainly."

He turns to leave again, walking down the hall that you've just noticed is shaped like him. "I’ll be in the third room to the right just down the hall, should you need me. Wilkins will be with you shortly."

"Okay," you call after him, "thank you." You’re not sure if he heard the last bit but you think you see the curve of a smile on his cheek.

When you’re alone again, you drop down into one of the soft seats, careful to not let your drying hair touch the fabric. It feels good to be warm again. You stretch your legs out and sigh, looking at his bookshelves again.

Some of them look well-used and ancient. Maybe as ancient as their owner. You smile at that.

One book in particular catches your interest. It takes some persuading to get your tired moving again but you make it to the shelf and bring the book to the chair with you.

Someone knocks at the door and you open it, seeing a surprised Wilkins on the other side. He’s balancing a tray and it’s about to topple over, so you carry it into the room for him. "You didn’t have to do that..." he says, sounding sad (but you soon realize what you’re hearing is tired relief. That poor fellow).

"I didn’t mind," you say, looking to him. "If you didn’t mind, that is."

"Not at all," he chirps.

He gets to work preparing tea for you and you watch. "Can you stay and drink tea with me?" you ask, already knowing what the answer will be. He shakes his head.

When he walks to the door, you open it for him. "Thank you for your chivalry," he says and he gives you a bow before he leaves.

You sigh as you return to the chair. There’s a pain in your stomach as you settle in and begin to read.

 

It’s been half an hour before you hear a second, quieter knock at the door. You’re about to stand up when the door opens.

"Ah good," Time says when he sees you. You give him a smile. "You look much better."

"I feel better. Thank you."

Time nods. He moves around the room, organizing books and correcting whatever seems to be misplaced.

"You have a lot of books," you say.

Time gazes at his collection. "That I do." He pauses thoughtfully, placing a book in an empty spot. "I have books from every continent, from every time period. Thousands. Such trivial matters are written in some of them, but they’re no less intriguing."

You’re quiet, mind elsewhere. After a moment, Time speaks up.

"Is something on your mind?"

You look up, shaking your head. "No." He turns to look at you this time.

"I can tell when something is wrong, little one."

You stare at the book in front of you, hesitating. "It seems like no one has the time of day to talk to me." Time nods, placing a book on the shelf before him. "I feel... unimportant."

You see him move from the bookshelf and he takes a seat facing you, resting his arms on his knees and he gazes at you. "Time is precious; it needs to be punctual, organized, utilized correctly."

You nod.

He exhales. You’re visibly shrinking into yourself.

"It may seem like people don’t care about you but that is far from the truth. Everyone is important and by extension, _you_  are important. The greatest gift you can give someone is your time. If they didn’t care, they wouldn’t spend _any_ time with you."

You look up at that. He smiles when your eyes meet his and his irises flicker for a moment.

"How do you like the book?" he asks, changing the mood of the conversation.

"Oh, it’s pretty good. A bit boring but interesting."

Time chuckles. "I see."

He stands to continue his work in organizing the room. You’re effectively distracted from continuing the book so you settle on watching him.

You like how methodical he is as he sorts his books. He moves with a quiet efficiency that reminds you of a watch... then you remember he _is_ Time itself and you have a little chuckle. Time gives you a curious look.

"Oh, um..." You flounder as he watches you, brow raised. "I thought of something stupid."

You expect him to become irritated but he turns back to his work, looking more amused than anything. "You and your silly puns..."

His warm tone and accent linger in your ears long after the room goes quiet.

"Do you have a favorite book?" you ask, continuing the conversation from earlier.

"Of course," he replies and his usual cockiness is back.

"Which one?"

His eyes brighten when you next see them. "Well..."

He moves to an adjacent shelf, skimming over titles until he finds what he’s looking for. "This one," Time says. "It’s rather new."

It _is_ new. You think you’ve seen this book before; you glance at the title and author, making a mental note to read it when you wake up. You look at the cover and flip through it before you hand it back to him.

"I find myself coming back to it whenever I have some of myself to spare. This one, as well," Time says and he taps the open book in your lap.

He straightens to slide the other book into its place on the shelf. "What is your favorite?" he asks.

"I have lots of favorites. Let’s see..." You try to recall them and you can name a few but some slip your mind. You mention Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Time can’t help the exhaustion that overtakes him at the mention of that name. "Sorry," you say, covering your mouth as you laugh.

You return to your reading as Time continues working. The sounds of tinkering fall into the background, not so much noise as it is a constant ambience and you’ve finished the first three chapters before you know it.

In that time, you would steal glances every now and then to see Time narrowed in on his work: fixing a pocket watch.

His focused expression is very intense. You find it to be silly at first, but the more you watch him, a tickle of nerves build in your chest.

When you’ve worked up the courage to speak again, you chance a glance upward and meet eyes with him.

"Too boring?" he asks with a smile.

"Maybe," you reply.

You decide it’s best to stare at the book rather than him afterwards.

You hope that would be the only distressing experience of the night and it seems to hold true until Time leans behind you to retrieve something and inadvertently brushes your arm. You play it cool and act like it didn’t affect you because why would it?

The shiver you get must be from the chill you caught earlier.

 

Before long, Time stands up, creaking from the sudden movement. "It’s getting late. Ah, right, I still need to show you to your quarters."

You look up, wide eyed. "Oh, that won’t be necessary," you start.

"Nonsense, I can tell you’re lying."

"It’s nighttime and I should really get going."

"That’s right, you should." He clasps his hands in front of himself. "So you will be staying in one of the spare rooms until you return." You squash the irritation rising in you. "Why can’t I go?"

"I’m... reluctant to let you go since last time. You... I haven’t seen anyone leave Underland in that manner."

You blink. You’d almost forgotten about that first night in Underland. "Wait, that isn’t normal?"

"No," he says slowly. "Unless you’re coming here in a manner different from what Alice uses."

"Doesn’t Alice fall asleep when she comes to Wonderland?" He shakes his head.

"The first time, yes, but not anymore."

"Oh."

"Also it’s ‘Underland.’"

"Ah, right."

Time looks at you strangely. "How did you arrive that first night?"

"I fell asleep, I think."

Time hums, cogs turning quite literally in his head and then he says, "I almost forgot! Come with me, _kleine_."

He continues where he left off as you trail beside him. "It was very late when you left the first time. Assuming your body still feels fatigued while here, you must have collapsed from exhaustion."

He goes into more detail about the science of Underland and its time differences but it’s difficult to follow so you nod along, half listening. You walk through more mysterious corridors of the expansive castle, climbing steps that lead higher into the structure as he talks. He stops in front of a particular door and unlocks the door.

"Here we are..."

The room is larger than you were expecting... and it’s impeccably clean. You wonder who had to suffer to keep it that clean. "You can stay here until you return to your home." Time smiles when you turn around to him again. "The castle has been void of visitors for some time; it’s nice to have somebody here again."

You smile, nodding. "Thank you for sharing some of yourself with me," you say and he nods in return.

"Good night."

 

Sleep comes easily that night and just like clockwork, consciousness follows.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out to be a lot sadder than I meant. ( Also I'd be lying if I said I didn't binge sad 90's music while editing this ahaha )


End file.
